STOLBERG, Germany — February 4, 2019 — To meet the increasing global demand for sustainable apparel, Prym Fashion today announced the introduction of L.I.F.E. Certified fasteners, which are manufactured to significantly lower the process and environmental footprint of Prym Fashion products compared to conventional manufacturing processes. L.I.F.E., which stands for Low Impact Fastener Ensemble, Certified metal fasteners will be on display at Premiere Vision Paris, which will be held February 12-14, at Paris Nord Villepinte.

“The production of metal fasteners for apparel and leather goods involves a broad spectrum of processes and finishes, including electroplating, chemical coloring and coating — all of which require a substantial amount of resources and materials,” said Brian Moore, CEO of Prym Fashion. “Our goal for our L.I.F.E. Certified program is to produce a wide range of finishes through more environmentally friendly processes, allowing customers to use Prym fasteners that contribute to their overall sustainability objectives.”

The initial collection of L.I.F.E. Certified metal fasteners will be produced by Prym Fashion Italia, a recognized leader in the snap fastener and rivet industry, in their plant in Lecco, Italy. Prym Fashion Italia has spent several years perfecting the finishing processes used in the L.I.F.E. Certified fasteners to minimize the environmental impact while also ensuring the quality and longevity of the finish.

“There are four primary principles to produce fasteners with a lower environmental footprint, which are fewer harmful substances, fewer chemical inputs, the elimination of heavy metals, and less energy,” said Philipp Osthaus, manager of sustainable products for Prym Fashion. “Any Prym Fashion fastener that is L.I.F.E. Certified will adhere to one or more of these principles, regardless of where they are produced, and we look forward to introducing additional products in the months ahead.”

The environmental impact of nine metal L.I.F.E. Certified fasteners compared to conventional processes, which were validated by Made-By, a recognized not-for-profit organization with a mission to make sustainability common practice in the fashion industry, include the following:

Water reduction of 65 percent;

Electricity reduction of 16 percent;

Chemicals reduced by 98 percent; and

Hazardous waste reduced by 85 percent.

“We are able to significantly reduce the environmental and process footprint used in the finishing of our metal fasteners, which in turn will help Prym Fashion reduce its global footprint,” added Moore. “We see this as a big first step in our sustainability journey, and we will continue to build out the range of products that fit within our Low Impact Fastener Ensemble strategy.”

L.I.F.E. Certified metal fasteners are available in dozens of finishes based on brass, copper and stainless-steel base materials, and will be on display at the company’s booth (Hall 4, Stand D37) at Premiere Vision Paris.